2022 Senior World Championships Selection Part 1

Confirmation of the initial squad of athletes selected for the Senior World Championships which will be held in Cairo, Egypt  15th July to 23rd July 2022.

The BF selection panel (see below for members) met on 7th June  2022 to discuss selection for the Senior World Championships.

As a result the selectors have confirmed selection of the eligible athletes that have met the qualification standards as published in the GBR Selection Policy (and copied below for ease of reference).  The selectors have also confirmed athletes that have been awarded a discretionary selection based on individual performance data.

It is the ambition of BF to send full teams to the Senior World Championships this year.  However there are a number fencers where the individual performance data does not currently directly support discretionary selection for the Senior World Championships. Therefore the selectors will meet after the 2022 Senior European Championships and factor these results into the selection of additional squad members to make up full teams.

Part 1 Selections

(Q – Qualified, D = Discretionary, ordered alphabetically)

Men’s Foil:
ARCHER Kristijan  (Q)
DAVIS James (Q)
DE ALMEIDA Dominic (Q)
MEPSTEAD Marcus (Q)

Men’s Sabre:
DEARY Will  (Q)

Women’s Foil:
STUTCHBURY Carolina (D)

Women’s Sabre:
MAXWELL Caitlin (Q)

Women’s Epee:
LAWSON Danielle  (D)
SICA Susan (Q)
SMITH-TAYLOR Kat (D)

Men’s Epee:
CHOONG Joe (Q)
EAST Will  (Q)
GROVER Elliott  (Q)

Congratulations to all the athletes and their coaches. For competition information click here.

Please note selections are subject to appeal (see below) and athletes should not make any travel bookings until they received their invitation confirmation email (from Sport:80) which are expected to go out the week of 13th June 2022.

Applicable Selection Policy:

Selection Notes

Qualification Standards Individual 

• The qualification standards for all European & World Championships are:

a) a medal winning performance at one of the Nominated International Competitions; or

b) their final placing percentage is less than or equal to 5% at one of the Nominated International Competitions; or

c) Top 4 athletes on the respective BF Rankings, provided that their final placing percentages average less than 40% (correct to two decimal places) from their best three (of a minimum of three)

Qualification Standards Team

Notwithstanding the qualifying standard for individual events, any weapon which stands in the Top 16 of the respective FIE senior world cup team rankings as of the date of selection, may send a full team of four athletes to the senior European or World Championships.

Discretionary

• Performance Trajectory – recent significant improvements in performances and results. Priority will be given to athletes on demonstrable performance trajectories to qualify for Paris 2024 or Los Angeles 2028.
• Specific Weapon Strategies in relation to the development of that weapon.

Senior Worlds Championships Selection Panel 2022

The members of the panel were:

Steve Kemp – Chair
Mike McKay – Lead Foil Rep -GBR Selection Panel
Anthony Crutchet – Lead Sabre Rep – GBR Selection Panel
Hugh Kernohan – Lead Epee Rep – GBR Selection Panel Rep
Kate O’Connell – GBR Selection Panel Foil Rep
Mariette Mason– GBR Selection Panel Epee Rep
Johnny Davis – Independent Observer
Ian Lichfield  – ADP Performance Representative
Niall Harman – Minutes

Weapon Selectors – Pre Selection Meeting Recommendation  Panels
Mike McKay – GBR Selection Panel Rep
Anthony Crutchett – GBR Selection Panel Rep
Lindsay Bottoms – GBR Selection Panel Rep
Kate O’Connell – GBR Selection Panel Rep
Kola Abidogun – GBR Selection Panel Rep
Hugh Kernohan – GBR Selection Panel Rep
Mariette Mason – GBR Selection Panel Rep
Joanna Braine – GBR Selection Panel Rep
Johnny Davis – Foil recommendations
Ian Lichfield – Epee recommendations
Rob Cawdron – Sabre recommendations

Appeals and Complaints 

Appeals & Complaints (Section 13 – extract from the Selection Policy)

144. Any athlete who has not achieved the eligibility criteria and qualifying performance standards for automatic selection for any International Competitions or Major Championships shall have no right of appeal against non-selection for these competitions.
145. Any athlete who has not completed and submitted a ‘GBR Discretionary Selection Form’, shall have no right of appeal against non-selection for these competitions.
146. Any athlete who has not provided a completed Athlete Assessment Form (submitted as part of the Selection Application Form where applicable), shall have no right of appeal against non-selection for these competitions.
147. Submitting the Selection Application Form is the opportunity for the athlete to provide any relevant data to the Selection Panel. An athlete shall have no right of appeal against non-selection on the grounds that the data supplied by the athlete was missing or inaccurate.

Where there is a disappointment to manage, we would request that all parents and coaches support/enable open conversations with the athletes which form an important aspect of the athlete development journey and will provide the opportunity to better understand the selection decision and the route to future selection.  Particularly for athletes age 18 and over, we will avoid being drawn into separate discussions and debates with coaches and parents about individuals selections unless the athlete(s) that they wish to discuss are part of the conversation.

Whilst we understand that selection decisions can generate significant emotion, we would ask that parents and coaches do not behave in ways that might constitute abuse or harassment to BF staff, selectors and coaches.  This includes repeated calling, messaging, emailing and making personal threats. Any such behaviour will be reported for disciplinary action.  In addition, the BF Comments and Complaints policy sets out what constitutes aggressive, obsessive or vexatious behaviour in relation to complainants and the action that we will take in such circumstances.

Queries about selection?

If you have any questions relating to this post, please submit them to us via the form here and a member of the ADP team will come back to you.

If there are any outstanding queries you should email Steve Kemp E: [email protected] cc’ing your personal coach.

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